how to transition from corporate america to personal training

Looking to move from corporate america to personal training (already certified) full time. Need to consider my husband and the livelihood of my 4 1/2 month old daughter in this transition as I'm sure it'll take time. Anyone have any advice? Anyone else do the same? What's the good, bad and ugly of it all?

Answers (5)

The term 'Corporate America' is quite generic, and I understand it to mean that you plan to move from full-time employment with benefits and a schedule that is largely mandated by others towards being an independent personal trainer.

Years ago I did the same after having worked with IBM for 18 years. However, I do not have children, and therefore had a lot of flexibility.

My advice: make sure that you have a good financial buffer and that things like health insurance are covered through your husband. After all, you have a little child, and her security must be your first priority.

Starting any business is challenging, and you are also dealing with changing personal circumstances with your little girl. It takes time to establish a business, and the first years in personal training are usually not those of a predictable income. Depending on your previous job in 'Corporate America', you may never make as much in personal training as you did there.

To me, the rewards are too numerous to list, Being my own boss, making my own schedule and deciding on how to do what I choose to do trump any downsides.

I wish you well in your new career and would suggest that you start right here by completing your profile so that people can find out about you.

Hi Kelly. Congratulations to you for deciding to follow your passion. Make no mistake about it, it won't be easy. I left two careers as a Hospital Administrator and as a Health Care Attorney to pursue my passion for helping others in fitness and wellness full-time.

Creating a new 'full-time' career in fitness will take time, but with persistence, the support of your spouse and dedication to treat your new career as 'a profession' and not a hobby or 'side job' (which you obviously won't but I had to mention that :-) you will succeed. One advantage that you have over me is that I am single, and thus did not have the support of a spouse. Having that consistent physical and emotional support will be vitally important as your new career goes through its growing pains.

Enjoy the journey, smile a lot, make sure that you continue to take care of yourself mentally and physically (we often have the tendency to care for others as trainers, and in your case as mom and wife, sometimes to the exclusion of taking care of ourselves). Know that others have successfully navigated this transition and you will too!

It would be great to transition slowly, meaning, take on a few clients now and work out as many kinks as you can.
A few questions to you
Do you have experience?
How will you get clients?
Do you have a specialty?
Will you train in a gym, or at homes or your own studio?
How much money do you need to make?
Will you be able to be flexible around your families schedule? most clients like to train in the early mornings and in the evenings
Do you have child care?
Can you offer training to the employees of your current job?
Can you condense both jobs?

Building a client base takes time and patience.
Good Luck to you
If this is your passion you will make it work

If you can get to the IDEA convention in July it would be informative!

I made the transition from corporate america to personal training 6 years ago and don't regret it.

I too was married at the time and had a one year old daughter. I had the support of my spouse and was fortunate that we all could get medical coverage through him and live off of one salary.

Some of the things to prepare yourself for success:
1. Live off of one salary for at least 3 months to know for certain that you can afford to make this change.
2. Plan for what you will do for childcare for your 4month old. What will you do if she gets sick? Will you cancel your clients? As a personal trainer you will not be paid for hours you don't work.
3. Where do you plan to work? What clients will you train? How many hours do you plan on working?
4. If you're going to run your own business, get all the info you need on setting that up.
5. Start training a few clients if you're not already doing so, to work out all the kinks now (forms, assessments, what type of contact you'll have, where you'll train, equipment, etc)
6. What you will do if you choose to have a second child? How long will you work during the pregnancy? How much maternity leave will you take? What will you offer your clients as options when you have the baby?

I choose to start personal training part-time so I would still be home the majority of the time with my girls (we now have 3). I've picked up more hours as they have gotten older. I enjoy having my own business, setting my own schedule, rules and training quidelines. But I'm fortunate that I don't have to support my family on my income. I can still be primarily a mom, but still do what I am passionate about....helping other moms live an active and healthy lifestyle!

Good luck! If you choose to make the move, it will be a very exciting, rewarding adventure!
Jocelyn Martin